THE EFFECT OF NEEM LEAVES EXTRACT AS IMMUNSTIMULANT BEFORE CHICKEN INFECTIOUS ANEMIA VACCINATION IN BROILERS

Abstract

Chicken infectious anemia (CIA) has lately arisen as a major problem in poultry production due to poor growth, high mortalities. We successfully used PCR on seven flocks of chickens (three breeder and four broiler) in the Egyptian governorates of Dakahlia and Damietta to detect CIAV in tissues of probable CIAV-infected birds. Numerous substances, including triterpenoids and glycosides, are found in Neem and are assumed to be the source of its antiviral effects. All birds were randomly allocated into eight groups (n=20 each) for different treatments, including vaccination, feeding Neem 8%, feeding infected birds 8%, vaccination and infected birds, feeding infected birds 8%, and finally feeding infected birds 8% and vaccination. One-hundred and sixty birds were randomly divided into eight groups (n=20 each). The groups were differentially-treated as the followings; healthy birds, birds infected with CIAV, birds fed Neem 8%, infected birds fed Neem 8%, vaccinated birds, vaccinated and infected birds, birds fed Neem 8% and vaccinated, and finally the infected ones fed Neem 8% and vaccinated. The study is aimed to detect the immunostimulant effect of Neem leaves extract 8% on immune response post vaccination against CIAV in broilers. The group taken immunstimulant (Neem leaves extract 8%) along with vaccination increased immune response of birds since titers of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were 15200 (P≤ 0.05) than the group valued 14732 of vaccination only. However, in groups (Neem vaccinated infected, infected and vaccinated infected) were 14663, 12600 and 12091 (P<0.05, P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Infected group exhibited indications of CIAV as despondency, while group vaccinated and treated with Neem leaves extract 8% appeared normal after challenging with CIAV. The hematocrit values of infected group and vaccinated treated infected group were 21 and 30, respectively. Histopathological changes in Neem vaccinated group after challenging with CIAV showed increasing in the thickness of both cortex and medulla of thymic lobules beside over population. In the latest group, bone marrow showed activation and proliferated hemopoitic elements with regenerative centers. We conclude that the combination of Neem leaves extracts 8% and CIAV vaccination is a potent antiviral and has immunstimulant properties during the production cycle of broilers.